To the Beat of My Heart
by TheLilyoftheValley
Summary: {A gift for the Ratchet and Clank community} Love is a funny thing… it can make a creature do the strangest things for their partners. One thing's for certain though, they wouldn't give up the universe if it meant being without the other… Fourteen shipfics voted for by various members of the RaC Fandom. :)
1. Sashangela (SashaxAngela)

_(THE MONTH OF LOVE BEGINS!_

 _Heya everyone! :D I had an idea for a fun little project back in November, and I got started on it around the end of December of last year. This is that project, and I'm really happy that all of my hard work has paid off._

 _I bring you "To the Beat of My Heart," a collection of short romance fics [seven dealing with canon character ships and seven dealing with OC-related ships] for_ _the month of February! My… original plan was to write all the stories throughout January, but this fic [and many of the others] turned out a lot longer than I initially planned. So instead of that, I'll be publishing this throughout February and March!_

 _Speaking of romance, this first couple is one I've been wanting to write a fic for, though I haven't had the time or energy to finish said fic. So because I want to constantly kick myself in the ass for not focusing on one story and because I want to give you guys a taste of what I have planned, I set this little fic in the Coffeeshop AU that's in the other fic. Long story short, this first pairing is going to take place in an AU. It's not because I don't want to write them in a canon setting, it's because I want my Coffeeshop AU of these two and I will write it even if I have to put a snippet of it here and write the rest of it later. (Plus I want to have some guilty pleasure for the month of February)_

 _But before the fic starts, I want to give a special thank you to all of the participants who gave me the ship suggestions to make this possible. Some offered up canon character pairings they wanted to see, and some offered up their own characters. Thank you all so much for the input, and I really hope you like this project of mine!_

 _ **Le peeps who requested this couple**_ _:_

 _Amino: Gaoteka_

 _Thank you to all the people who asked for this, and I hope you enjoy! :D )_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And yes, I am very aware that this author's note is extremely long. I am so sorry Amino and mobile peeps D: …**

To the Beat of My Heart

Sashangela (SashaxAngela)

Even in a shop full of expertly-crafted beverages and coffees, Angela still found her throat completely dry.

Her eyes glanced up at the clock as a nervous energy danced through her body. It was almost time.

One of her co-workers standing at the cash register turned to her, a knowing smile on her face. "Angela, you wanna switch spots for a moment?" the robot barista asked. "I could use some more practice at the cold-blended drinks."

Angela's hands rested on her hips. Even with her anxiety, she could still see BS from a mile away. "Marie, you've worked here longer than me…"

Marie laughed in a way that could only be described as "sly." "Come on… Switch with me. Just for five minutes."

Angela whipped her head to the back to the strawberry smoothie that had been sitting in the blender for half a minute. Her hands quickly popped the blender cup off the stand and poured the smoothie into the plastic cup.

"You-you know- Oh I know exactly why you want to switch, don't try and trick me! You just want to see my face when she comes up to the counter."

The smoothie really didn't deserve her glare, but she couldn't take her eyes off the drink without risking it going everywhere.

Marie curled a loose strand of her obsidian-colored hair behind her ear. "Perhaps…" she teased. "Oh, and the customer is getting that to-go."

The Lombax whipped around to the counter opposite of her and slipped a plastic cover over the cup. With a quick flick of her wrist, her fingers pinched a straw and clapped it next to the drink.

"Dallas!" Angela called out, her voice echoing through the café. Her face quickly forced a smile for a vain attempt at providing "good customer service."

A maroon-colored Cazar stepped over to the counter, tapping out something on his phone. He pulled an earbud out of his ear as he snatched up the drink, barely making an eye contact to the Lombax. "It's pronounced 'Doll-us,' not that you would know," he remarked as he turned and rushed out the door.

His workout clothes had been a giveaway that he was already planning on doing some running, but Angela was sure that any more of his attitude to her would have made him run a lot faster…

She rubbed at her temples as she quickly glanced around.

It was early morning, so early morning that the café could almost be classified as a non-inhabited sector. The normal morning rush wasn't even up yet… but there were some early birds who were. And a more often than not, they didn't care much for anything that held them up.

Only one other customer, an elderly robot that was probably the only reason (other than _her_ ) Angela enjoyed coming to work every morning besides her, sat silently in his corner booth. Crinkles sounded as he turned the page of his newspaper, and a loud sip echoed behind the papers as the robot drank his morning tea.

Alright, so there wasn't really anything that needed her attention right now.

She turned, but when she looked back at her station, Marie stood there, blocking Angela from the counter.

Angela narrowed her eyes and her hands fell back to her hips. "Marie…"

The robot raised her eyebrows. "Angela…"

It took a moment before Angela spoke. She deflated, and held up her hands in mock defeat. "Okay. Fine. I'll take her order."

She pointed her finger at her coworker as she stepped over to the cashier. "However, contrary to what you think is going to happen," she said as she felt the soft mat beneath her feet, "I will not get so starstruck over her like the last time she came in."

Marie's eyebrows drifted higher, and the same happened with a corner of her mouth. "You mean yesterday? And the day before? And the day before that?"

A huff sounded from the Lombax as she crossed her arms. "I'm serious Marie! I woke up this morning and made a promise to myself not to space out again like I did yesterday, and you know that I do what I set my mind to!" Angela straightened, rooting herself to the ground she stood on. "If you want me to take her order, then I will, and I can promise you right now that I won't space out."

If Marie thought she was lying, then the robot didn't say it. Instead, she turned to the two blenders and began cleaning the used one in the small sink next to her.

"Mmhmm," she hummed. Angela barely caught it over the sounds of the water, her heightened hearing being the only saving grace for catching Marie's side of the conversation. "You can talk the talk, but let's see you walk the walk…"

Angela scoffed, already whipping back around to face the doors on the other side of the café. "You don't believe me?" she asked. "Well guess what-" her eyes darted to the clock and her heart pounded in her chest as 5:29 AM appeared on the clock "-I'm not going to freeze up, or stutter, or stammer, or zone out, or anything like that! I've seen her a dozen times so far, so all that glammer's worn itself out! I will have a pleasant conversation with her, and I can assure you that I will not do anything that isn't professional."

The robot grinned down at the deep purple apron covering her blouse and slacks. "Okay," she hummed, drawing out each letter in a sing-song tone. Her hands grabbed a nearby towel, and she began drying the blender cup. " _Good luck_ …"

Angela steeled herself as she stared at the clear doors. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, and a ball of fear contorted in her chest.

She could totally take her order and not screw anything up. Like she said to Marie, she was going to calmly and professionally take her order and-

The faint sound of heels clicking against the floor caught her attention and dashed away all of her thoughts.

A glimpse, and then she walked through the door at her normal time.

She was just…

 _Whoa_.

The entire world hit the "Slow Motion" button, and Angela's mouth dropped open as she gazed at the beautiful woman in front of her.

Soft brown fur, almost as rich and earthy as the coffee Angela made on a daily basis, painted the Cazar's face and neck. Short hair fell down the sides of her face like waves and framed her gorgeous face better than any professional picture frame could. Her eyes, her perfect pale blue eyes, weren't focused on the papers she usually carried with her. Instead they were focused straight at Angela, the corners crinkling up as a brilliant smile grew on her face.

She walked with a purpose and commanded the attention of the room solely by the way she carried herself. She could have been any Cazar, but she held herself like no one else could.

She was a goddess among the peasants.

She was suddenly really close, and Angela was vaguely aware that her mouth was moving. Were there sounds coming out?

"-gela? Angela? Are you alright?"

 _OH RIGHT!_

Angela's eyes grew wider, and the Lombax quickly snapped her mouth shut. "Pleaseexcuseme!"

Her hands fumbled for a foam cup, already snatching up the Sharpie marker and popping off the cap. "Wh-wh-what can I get you Miss…?"

The concerned look that had been on her face lessened a little. "Sasha," she filled in.

Angela's breath caught in her throat at the sound of the Cazar's name. It never failed to sound like music to her ears.

There was a slight pause before the scribbling of the Sharpie echoed between the space between the two of them. Angela's eyes darted up towards Sasha for an instant before darting back to the cup.

The worried frown on Sasha's face deepened. "Did you miss your morning coffee again?" Sasha half-heartedly joked, a faked smile on her face.

Angela latched onto the excuse. The… same excuse she used every day. "Ye-yeah I really missed my coffee again. You know how it is, busy busy busy!"

She could feel the intense heat on her cheeks, but she forced herself to keep going. "Is there anything else you wanted?"

Sasha raised an eyebrow. Concern tainted her words. "I… haven't given you my drink order yet."

Angela quickly looked at the cup, hiding her face from Sasha's view. "Well, you've been coming here for more than a few days in a row. You want the caramel frappaccino, with three shots of caramel and two shots of espresso… right?"

Sasha nodded. The fight between being polite and being concerned showed on her face. "Yes, that's my order."

Angela set the cup off to the side, her fingers loathing the release of her security. "Was there anything else?"

Sasha looked away and fished her small card carrier out of her blazer's pocket. "Could I get a whole wheat bagel with blueberry cream cheese? If you guys still have any left of course."

Angela dipped her head behind the counter and searched for the bagel type. "Yep," she confirmed as popped back up, "we still have some! For here or to go?" Her hands shook as she put them back near the register.

The lovely Cazar pointed a finger at the floor. "For here," she confirmed as she opened her wallet and slid out a card.

Angela punched in the order on the machine and squeaked out, "Swipe when ready."

It only took a moment, and Angela swiped the receipt from the machine and handed it to the Cazar. "Here you go!" she exclaimed, relief finally flooding her body. It was over, so she didn't need to worry about stumbling through her interactions-

Before she could say "Have a nice day," Sasha spoke up. "May I speak with you when you have the time?" she asked as she put her wallet away and took the receipt. "I was hoping I could talk to you over breakfast."

Her fears swept right back into her chest. "O-o-of course!"

Sasha turned away and walked over to her usual booth near the other corner of the café. She settled down, dropping her papers on the table and scanning the top of the first one.

As Angela turned around, she felt the weight of Marie's teasing grin. "Okay… so… that didn't go as well as I had planned."

"You think?" Marie joked as she prepped the cup. Caramel drizzled down the insides of the cup. "Did you happen to tour all of Polaris on your trip to space?"

Angela shot her a glare as she took out one of the whole wheat bagels. "Oh haha, very funny." The oven door clicked shut, but as Angela started heating it up, her ears fell. "She wants to talk to me Marie. What the hell am I going to do? I can barely talk to her!"

Marie worked on autopilot, the ingredients already measured and in the blender cup. As she scooped up a cup of ice from the built-in freezer, she raised her eyebrows. "You talk to her like she's a normal creature. There's nothing to fear, so go over there, pour on the charm, and ask her out already!"

"I'm not in love with her. You know that right?"

"Sure you are. And I'm a secret pop star with a hidden identity that sings all about love and break-ups."

The oven dinged, and Angela quickly used the tongs to fish out the bagel as the blender churned the ice and other ingredients. She dropped it into a paper bag and bit her lip as her legs shook.

She could do that. Just… talk to her. Yeah…

Her heart didn't slow, and her breathing picked up as Marie took the blender cup off its stand.

The Lombax grabbed the plastic knife and flavored cream cheese. It only took her a second to put everything in its proper place, and when she was finished, Marie handed her Sasha's drink.

"On a serious note," Marie began, "go get her. Have a good conversation while I cover for you up here." As Angela slowly took the cup, the robot nabbed a straw from the container and tapped the top of the drink cover. "If it gets busy, I'll call you back up. But go out and clear the air. You can't stumble through every conversation with her, so talk with her."

The robot hooked the straw under Angela's thumb and knocked on of her heels against the Lombax's calf. "Go on!"

The room shifted as Angela, very hesitantly, walked over to Sasha.

It took all her energy, but she took a deep breath and walked to the table her crush sat at, her heartbeat echoing through her ears.

She stopped a foot away from the edge of the table. Her wrist moved to her mouth, and she cleared her throat as she opened with-

"Um, hi, Angela here."

 _Smooth_.

Sasha looked up from her papers and smiled. "Ah, thank you so much for bringing my order to me. I trust that you have some time to talk."

The sweet smile on her face brought a dreamy smile to Angela's, and the Lombax delicately placed the Cazar's food and drink on the table in front of her, carefully minding the papers.

Sasha reached over and brought her drink closer to her. Her lips closed around the straw, and a happy look crossed her face as caramel tickled her tongue.

Angela could look at her for hours.

The Cazar looked back up. She set her drink back down and linked her fingers together. "I wanted to talk to you about… well, talking to me."

Angela froze. "I-I-I didn't mean any harm!" she stammered out. "I don't usually act like this… Not that there's anything wrong of course, it's just that- uh-"

Sasha moved a hand and rested hers over Angela's. "It's okay," she said. "Just let it out."

Her eyes squeezed shut as her heart hammered her chest. The moment of truth.

"I think you're really pretty. Gorgeous. Beautiful. And it trips me up a lot."

It took a moment before Angela opened her eyes again, and when she opened them, she found Sasha smiling down at her papers.

A little "hmmp" came from the Cazar. "I won't say that I haven't heard that before, but this is the first time it hasn't been someone who was trying to use me to get to my father."

The Lombax perked up, and pity painted her face. "Sasha… I'm-"

"Sorry? No, there's no need," Sasha countered. Her smile grew, and a little pride painted her face. "It helped me in weeding out who saw me as a tool, and those who actually wanted to date me." She waved her hand. "Lessons learned, and I can tell from your voice and expression that you're being honest with me."

She pulled her hand back, and Angela felt her breath leave her. "However, that's a different story," Sasha continued. "I wanted to talk with you for a moment since… well you can't seem to talk with me."

That look of concern finally won out, and Angela bit her lip and smiled nervously as she ran a hand through her ponytail. "I-I don't… usually act like this. Like I said before. Most of the time I can talk to other creatures just fine, but you've… kind of taken my words away…"

Her hands snapped up and her body straightened like a rod. "Wait, like not in a bad way! I mean, it's a good way?!"

The Cazar tilted her head. "I wanted to know if you can talk to me-" a smile teased her lips "-because I actually want to talk with you some more."

Angela looked at her, her mouth open in shock. "Wait… you want to talk with me more…" Her voice dropped, and her eyes squeezed shut again. " _Like, friends… or more than friends_?"

And there it was, the same song and dance Angela had gone through before, and if past experiences had taught her anything the answer would be-

"More than friends. Why do you think I asked?" Her grin turned cheeky. "You know you look quite adorable when you have that dreamy look in your eyes, and I admire your willingness to stick through a tough situation when it would be easier to give up or pass it to someone else."

The feeling of relief that filled Angela's chest had no words to describe it. The Lombax looked back up and found a cheerful Cazar staring back at her. "So…" Angela swallowed down her excitement. "That means you're a-"

Sasha giggled, and it was possible that Angela fell even harder for the lovely creature. "Indeed I am!" Another giggle that locked itself away in Angela's memory. "I can understand your hesitance though. I myself have had quite a few rejections."

Angela rolled her eyes. "We _really_ need a sign that helps us find each other."

The Cazar's eyes brightened, and she set aside the paper in front of her to lean closer to Angela. "Actually, I believe there is," she exclaimed, resting her weight on her elbows. "In some cultures and some sign languages, there is a word or sign that lets people know you're gay. If you lift the right hand, form an "L' shape with your thumb, and hold it against your chin, then you've essentially signed the word 'lesbian' to me."

Sasha moved her right hand as she did it, and Angela couldn't help but mimic her. A laugh bubbled up in her chest, and Angela giggled as Sasha gave her most serious look behind the sign.

"So you like history?" Angela asked.

Sasha dropped her hand and smirked as she lifted both her hands up-and-down. "You could say something like that. Since my father is the President, I need to educate myself in political matters, and Pride and its history has been one of my main interests."

Angela brightened, and the Lombax swiveled on her chair to move her legs under the table. "That's pretty cool! I don't know too much about the history of Pride, but I do know a lot about genetics and biology! If you needed an insider on Genetically Modified Organisms or something else relating to the body, I can definitely offer some interesting info on those!"

Sasha clicked her tongue, and grabbed her pen to scribble something down on one of the stray papers. "I can do that!"

A question probed at Angela's mind. "Oh yeah, your dad!"

Sasha tilted her head as her gaze drifted back to the Lombax. "Yes?"

The Lombax nodded her head to the side. "Is he okay with… you know, you being gay?"

Sasha laughed again, and slyness invaded her grin. "Yes he is. He likes to be called 'sir' by my dating partners, and he doesn't like when people have shoes on through the more private rooms of the House."

"Angela! Gunna need you up here in a few for the morning rush!"

She glanced at Angela as the Lombax's face fell. "I'm glad that I can get you to talk without stuttering or tripping over yourself," the Cazar said softly, "and I hope we can talk more in the future."

Angela sighed as she swung her legs around and stood. "I think I need to get going. Marie's going to need help, and I got to get back to work at some point or another…"

"Wait!"

Angela paused, and turned back towards Sasha. The Cazar furiously scribbled something down on a sheet of paper, then ripped off a chunk of it. Her fingers elegantly unwrapped Angela's fingers and placed the torn piece into the center of her palm.

"For later." A playful wink, and a smile that floated Angela's heart above the clouds. "Now, you head back to work. Good luck over there, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

 _Wow_ …

"I have the day off tomorrow," Angela said dreamily as she felt a gooey feeling squirm in her chest. There was no way it was going to leave anytime soon.

Sasha's lips formed a pout, but she nodded towards the scrap of paper in Angela's hand. "Then I guess you might want to take a look at that later tonight when you have the time. Say, around seven?"

The Lombax nodded, a goofy grin on her face. "Bye Sasha. It was really fun talking with you…"

The Cazar waved goodbye, and another giggle echoed from her mouth as she turned back to her papers. "I hope to hear more tonight!"

Angela darted back behind the counters, and found Marie smirking at her as the robot stood at the register. "So, did it turn out well?" the barista asked.

"Better than I could have hoped."

She opened her palm, and on the little scrap of paper sat a number. There were a few hastily scribbled instructions, but the number seemed to stand out as the only thing on the page.

As the morning rush started filing in, Angela felt her spirits soar, and long after Sasha left, the goofy smile never left the Lombax's face.

* * *

 _Song Inspos: There were so many that helped me through this, but "Classic" by MKTO and "Butterflies" by Zendaya were the main ones._

 _Holy heck… I thought this story was never going to end ["a taste" I said… why am I like this]. To give a little preface, I'm writing the ending author's notes as I finish each story (I don't usually do that with my stories, but these are different). So basically, you guys get a little "behind the scenes" action. This is the second story I've finished… which means that the first story I finished will have this same message, but hey it won't be until about halfway through the story._

 _Before I say anything else, yes, the design Sasha had is different from her canon appearance, and no, that is not my design. "_ _ **nessyoursticks**_ _" from Deviantart made this gorgeous redesign of Sasha, and I couldn't help but feel like Angela when I first saw it. I did use it for this short story, and I claim no ownership over the design. All credit for the gorgeous Sasha redesign stays with its artist! {Please go check out that artist when you have the chance, she does amazing lineless art of the RaC characters, and over half of them are just the best motivators}_

 _And with that… that's it for this couple! I had fun writing them, even if this story felt like forever to finish. For those that ship Sashangela, I really hope I did them justice. It's my first time writing for the two of them, so if there was anything that felt off, I'd like to know for the next time around. That, and now you guys also have a Coffeeshop AU written for your ship… which by a joke post from Tumblr's standards, this ship is an official ship! :''D_

 _Overall, I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and I'm pumped for the rest to come! Thank you so much for the support, and I'll see you guys in the next story!_

 _XD_


	2. Ronna (RatchetxDonna)

_(Miss Sofie, thank you so much for letting me write these two beans again! ;P_

 _I wrote this couple a while ago, though I'm really glad I was given the chance to write them again! It's a lovely couple that I'm always happy to see, and… well, I can't say anymore than a thank you to_ _ **SofieSpangenberg**_ _of Deviantart for letting me write her character and ship! Since I already wrote her character having a game night, I decided to do something else for this short story._

 _Thank you to all those who volunteered their characters, and I hope you enjoy! :D )_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Donna the Lombax belongs to SofieSpangenberg of Deviantart. This just in: two Lombaxes dove off the side of a building and I crave excitement.**

To the Beat of My Heart

Ronna (DonnaxRatchet)

The frigid air whipped her ears back and forth and tore at the exposed part of her body, but the free fall from two hundred feet in the air was worth it.

"WHOOO!"

The ground in front of her rose to meet her. The greenery and silvers of the surrounding area rapidly disappeared as she fell. The whistling sound that rang in her ears heightened, and a whine echoed in her skull as her body reached the maximum speed it could fall.

The wicked grin on her face grew.

Her head turned. Ratchet was close to her, the other yellow-furred Lombax falling around the same speed she was.

Huh, she would have thought that backflip he'd did would have slowed him up for a second.

"READY DONNA?!"

The ground was close.

 _Very_ close-

"TRY ME HERO!"

Her wrist flicked out. A hoverboard materialized beneath her feet, and as she felt her body go vertical as inertia swung the board under her.

Then the thruster kicked in.

The resounding crack of air echoed out of the construction yard, and both Lombaxes blasted forward on their boards. The curved sheet of metal, a crescent-shaped slate that had been haphazardly formed before the construction team had given up, acted as a ramp. The Lombaxes flew upward, and both of them smirked at each other as they fell to the main construction site.

The race was on.

The entire construction yard had been abandoned a few years earlier due to lack of bolts to finish the project. For now though, it was a makeshift hoverboard course for two Lombaxes that had nasty competitive streaks.

Equipment and half-finished building parts lay scattered throughout the lot, and huge cranes, wrecking balls, and lifts towered over the foundations of the skyscraper. Tools and shredders dotted the lot, and warped metal beams jutted out at all the right angles.

It was perfect.

Donna felt the board shake as the lifts powered up and her board smacked against the ground. She heard a smack next to her, and she whipped her head to the side as she stuck up her tongue. "COME ON SLOWPOKE!" she roared over the wind. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE GREATEST HOVERBOARDER ON THIS SIDE OF THE GALAXY?!"

Ratchet leaned down, and his board jetted forward.

As the two of them rounded the first corner of the makeshift track, he inched his way ahead of Donna. Everything slowed, and the two Lombaxes rode their boards neck-and-neck up the side of a curved sheet of metal. The second their boards touched the dirt, Ratchet pulled ahead of Donna.

He swerved, and Donna reeled as she slowed to not crash into Ratchet.

He straightened and gave a cocky, two-fingered salute back. "HAD TO STEAL THAT TITLE FROM SOMEONE SWEETHEART!"

Her eyes were so silted they were almost closed. "OH, IT'S ON 'SWEETHEART!'"

Their hoverboards shot forward as the dirt turned to smooth titanium. They barreled around the next set of curves and turns, their ears whipping around like flags. Back. Forth. Back. And forth.

Then came an upturned pipe.

It laid against some of the support beams for the unfinished building, and led up to the middle levels of the unfinished building. A bent in the pipe allowed access for a smooth slip into the giant tube.

Donna lowered herself just as Ratchet did, and as the two sped tail-to-tail into the entrance.

As darkness consumed their vision, Donna blasted in front of Ratchet and rode her board up the side of the pipe, flipping herself upside-down.

In the light of the hoverboards, Ratchet grinned at Donna, and the blue-haired Lombax winked back slyly at Ratchet as their race was temporarily forgotten.

After all, it was almost impossible to shoot up a vertical pipe without a little help from thrusters and a little space.

They kicked the extra thrusters on their boards. Blinding green and blue light erupted from the backs of their boards.

And then they spiraled up the pipe.

Ratchet followed the same path Donna took, and the two Lombaxes ascended, Donna always slightly ahead of Ratchet and upside-down in his vision. It only took a second for them to blast up the pipe, but the gorgeous explosion of green and blue light bathed the two of them in a technicolor paradise.

Donna whipped herself down to the beam at the entrance of the pipe and eased on the thruster. With a hop, her board landed squarely on the metal beam, barely fitting in between the width of the construction material.

Ratchet mimicked her, and suddenly he was right behind her.

The two rode the beam. If they made one wrong move, they'd plummet twenty stories to the floor of the site.

Donna felt fear shoot through her as a support beam, something that rose up and blocked the rest of the horizontal path. If she hit it at the speeds she was going, she'd seriously hurt herself. If she slowed, she'd lose her balance. If she tried to hop somewhere else, she'd fall to the bottom levels of the building. The closest support beams parallel to her were too far away for her to jump to.

" _DONNA_! BE CAREFUL!"

The vertical beam zoomed toward her, and in that spilt second, she reacted.

Her left hand whipped out and latched onto the beam. Her knees curved as her board left the metal support. She guided it, drawing it around the beam. Her hand held on tight, but not tight enough to prevent swiveling.

The second her board touched the other side of the support beam, her hand released its grip from the support.

She whooped in surprise and relief as her board stabilized.

Ratchet mimicked her actions and whipped around the support beam.

As Donna chanced a glance back at Ratchet, his worried expression melted into one of relief once they were around the beam.

Then came the drop.

Donna saw the end of the beams in front of her. "THE DROP'S COMING RATCHET!" she hollered as her words were swallowed by the wind. "GET READY!"

"BE CAREFUL!"

The beams turned, the corner of the unfinished building just in their way of a twenty-story drop.

The two Lombaxes bent their knees. Their boards sped up the slightest bit. With a deep breath of air, they put their faith in fate.

The second before she crashed into the corner, Donna jumped from the beam she was on out the opening.

The wind whistled in her ears as she hooked her board out from under her and spread out her arms and legs. Worry filled her chest as she glanced to her left, but it was dashed away the second she saw Ratchet diving next to her.

"WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END HOTSHOT!" An evil grin spread on her face as the ground rushed up beneath them.

Ratchet laughed. "GET READY TO LOSE SWEETHEART!"

Two cranes, facing the opposite of each other, lay at the bottom. The one facing the building was extended upwards, and the two Lombaxes rode down the enormous tool, Ratchet in the lead. They hopped the small gap between the cranes, and they flew down the lowered second crane.

The moment their boards hit the dirt, they hit the thrusters.

It was a straight bolt to the finish line. Their ships sat just outside the entrance of the lot, an elaborate and enormous archway acting as the only way to get in.

That was their finish line.

And it was coming up _fast_.

They were neck-and-neck. Their boards whined under their feet as they picked up speed.

Donna's eyes began to water as the wind nipped at them. Her heart raced as adrenaline shot through her.

Ratchet inched ahead of her.

She bit her lip and crouched. She pulled ahead.

The finish line was there-

Ratchet-

Donna-

Ratchet-

The trees near the entrance lost all their leaves as the two Lombaxes blasted through the archway.

Donna snapped up and screeched to a halt, and Ratchet cut almost all power to his thruster before slowing down. Their legs stumbled to the ground, and it took a moment for them to reorient themselves. They breathed deeply as the adrenaline from the race rushed through their bodies, Ratchet gently laying his hands on his knees as he sucked in air.

They stayed quiet for a moment before Donna elbowed Ratchet's arm as he straightened.

"I got ya Ratchet," she said as her hand fell to her hip. She shuffled the hoverboard under her arm and smirked at the other Lombax as he kicked up his hoverboard.

A smile spread across his face as he pressed a little button on the front edge of his hoverboard. "I wouldn't be so sure of yourself Don," he teased. A little hologram, taken from the small recording device set up at the entrance of the archway, beamed up from the hoverboard.

Two blurs shot across one end of the hologram to the other. Then the footage slowed. The two Lombaxes inched across the hologram…

Both crossed the finish line at the same time.

The furious expression that crossed Donna's face would have made an Ameboid balk in terror.

"A TIE?!" Her arms crossed, and she gritted her teeth as she rubbed a hand against her forehead. "Gah, that means no one really won, and that's just as bad as losing! We'll have to do a rematch!" She whipped around, not wanting to look at Ratchet.

Ratchet's smile softened, and as he tapped the button again to stop the hologram. He hooked the hoverboard under his arm and stepped over to Donna. His arm delicately laid itself over her shoulders, and as Donna ducked her head, Ratchet's head lowered to see a pout on her lips.

"Donna, it's okay," he said softly. "If I know you, you're going to kick my butt the next time we go hoverboarding." He kissed the top of her head. "Besides, you know what day it is…"

A frustrated sigh came from Donna as she looked up. Her eyes trailed to Ratchet, and it took a moment of internal conflict before the female Lombax deflated. Her sour expression remained.

"You're right, you're right," she said as her thumb rubbed at her eyes. Another deep breath, and then she looked to Ratchet. A ghost of a smile appeared on her face. "It is the anniversary of when we first met."

Ratchet raised an eyebrow, and his teasing grin grew. "And care to tell me what happened on that day?"

Donna grinned as she bumped her hoverboard against his chest. "I smoked you in our first hoverboard competition together."

Ratchet laughed. "Of course, the day I want to casually win a hoverboard race, this beautiful girl struts onto the course and wins the race with only minor injuries."

Her eyes rolled as a snort came from her. "Uh-huh, last I remember, you came in second with minor injuries as well, you goof."

"Oh man… the memories are rushing back…" Ratchet's arm fell from Donna's shoulder, and as he stepped off to the side, he threw out his free arm. "I asked to race you again, and you smoked me a second time! Took me like twenty tries, but I finally won against you!"

Donna crossed her arms and looked to the ground, her playful smile splitting her face. "You got lucky hotshot. Had I crossed that turn perfectly, I would have remained undefeated in our races."

"And you got so upset!" He stepped back over to the female Lombax as she rolled her eyes.

"And then you asked me out to dinner to make up for it…"

"And that's when I started to fall in love with you."

His arm hooked back over Donna's shoulders, and he pressed his lips against her forehead, squeezing her shoulder. "I love you Donna," he murmured as he rested his cheek against her hair.

She pushed his face away for a moment before she cupped his left cheek with her free hand. She pulled his face to hers, and pressed her lips to his. "I love you too Ratchet," she said as she pulled away.

"You're still pissed at me for the race, aren't you?"

"Oh, of course I am."

"I know you way too well. Might a fancy dinner make up for it?"

Donna giggled as she began walking back to their ships. "Buzz off bozo!"

Ratchet hurried next to her, laughing as he teased his girlfriend. "I'll see you tonight Don! My place, seven?!"

The smirk on her face flashed in the sunlight. "I hate you so much… Pasta, breadsticks, and some cake for desert?"

The male Lombax lazily saluted her, the goofy expression still plastered on his face. "Wouldn't have it any other way sweetheart…"

* * *

 _Song Inspos: Again, a large number helped me through this story (the Block hit me really hard), so the main ones were the Hex Cougar "Cheap Thrills" remix [original song by Sia], "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ray Dalton, and "Escape from the City" by Crush 40 though the Sonic Generations remix. Because gosh dangit I'm writing a race through a city structure, of course that song was blasting through my headphones._

 _Third story done! ^^ Once again, a thank you to Sofie for letting me play with Donna! She's fun to write, and I always have a blast writing her! You gave me a ton of awesome suggestions for this collection of fics, so I definitely had to make a lil story for you! :3 I hope to write Donna again in the future, and thank you for letting me write this spunky Lombax!_

 _Before I end off the story, a little sidenote: if your story is shorter than some others, that doesn't mean I don't like you or your characters. I tried to give a simple plot for every story, though some of them need some more words to make them flow better. That, or I may not know your characters well enough. *shrug* The main point is, the first story started out with a crapton more words than I could have ever planned. I cannot make every story that length with the time I have, so some will be shorter than others, which is not meant to be a personal insult to you or your characters. Sometimes that's just the way the story plays out._

 _Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoyed, and if my schedule is correct, we have another canon character-centered ship next! I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you in the next story!_

 _XD_


	3. Clatchet (RatchetxClank)

_(HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE! :D_

 _This one of those couples that I've made some plans to write about, but I never had the time or energy to write it. And that's quite a shame if I do say so myself._

 _I decided to have this couple already married in this little oneshot since I want to showcase all different forms of love at different times. There're some couples getting together, there're some couples already dating, there're some couples that are engaged, and there're some couples that will be already married. This one was one I wanted to look at in the later parts of their relationship, partly because of the strong bond these two already have and partly because I just wanna write some husbands being loving husbands._

 _ **Le peeps that requested this couple**_ _:_

 _Discord: Alex21346587 and KayxClankForever_

 _Thank you to all those that asked for this, and I hope you enjoy the story! :D )_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. *relieving sigh* *calm smile* Time to write some husband fluff.**

To the Beat of My Heart

Clatchet (RatchetxClank)

 _His legs were a blur as he tore toward his home._

 _The sands of Veldin clung to his feet, and laughter echoed through his mind as the sands drew up his shoes. His hoverboots were swallowed whole as sand held him in place and pulled him to a stop._

 _He fell, his feet glued to the ground. Faces appeared in the sands, ones he couldn't properly recognize. Their mouths gaped open, and their cruel laughter grew louder in his ears._

 _With tears in his eyes, he looked up at his house._

 _Through the blur and haze of the land, he felt the heat of the explosion._

" _NOOOOOOO!"_

 _His hands clawed and tore at the ground, slashing the faces out of existence. He heaved his body forward, and his legs popped free. He bolted towards the burning house, gasping for air as he felt fear flood every cell in his body._

 _The sand still slowed him down, but it didn't hold him in place. The faces spread out around him as he ran. An ocean of cruel smiles encircled him as he screamed for his partner._

 _When he finally reached the door, he rammed his foot against it, and it crashed against other things inside the house._

 _Flames rushed up to meet him, their heat searing his fur. The faces from the sands drifted through the body of the fire into the smoke, and the Lombax hacked and coughed as he sucked in air-_

" _ **CLANK**_ _! CLANK, WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

 _His wrench batted away the fire, and his world spun as he struggled to realign himself. Everything felt as though it would vanish in an instant, but it also felt so real it could kill him if he let it._

 _What-_

 _Was-_

 _Happeni-_

" _ **CLANK**_ _!_ _ **PLEASE**_ _! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

 _He sprinted down the hall to their bedroom, and the hall grew longer as he ran. The light from the room grew faint as firelight grew around the corners of his vision._

 _It spun like a circle, closing him off from the path in front of him._

 _His body spiked in temperature, and he was sure that he was covered in sweat but he thought the fire would have evaporated it-_

 _His hand hit the doorknob as his body crashed into the door._

 _Smoke filled his lungs as he wrenched the door open-_

" _ **CLANK**_ _!" Tears rolled down his cheeks as the fire swept into the bedroom._

 _He tore towards the closet._

 _Something pushed him to it-_

 _He opened the-_

" _ **CLAAANNNK**_ _!"_

Ratchet jackknifed up from his horizontal position so fast he almost did a flip.

Dry heaves and coughs wracked his body as he shook. His arms wrapped around him, and his fur was soaking wet to his touch.

"Ratchet! Are you alright?!"

It took a moment before Ratchet could move, and the only reason he did was because of the gentle metal hand resting on his arm.

Clank raised his other hand and delicately laid Ratchet back down. The little robot was careful to not agitate the shaking Lombax, careful to-

"Clank, I-I-I really need the blankets off me. Right now please-"

The robot was up in an instant, grabbing the covers from Ratchet's side of the bed and pulling them to his own. Ratchet's legs became exposed to the night air, and as the Lombax shuffled up a little, his breathing began to slow down.

When Clank finished folding the blankets over, he immediately slipped back under the covers on his side of the bed and wrapped his fingers around Ratchet's arm. His hand slowly moved up and down, gently petting the Lombax as Ratchet squeezed his eyes shut and focused on slowing down his breathing.

It took a while before Ratchet finally got his breathing under control.

Clank never stopped moving his hand, though it did move from Ratchet's arm. When Ratchet's breathing had started to pick up, the little warbot had scooped up Ratchet's left hand into his, and had started massaging the back of his partner's hand, careful to not scratch the silver band wrapped around the Lombax's ring finger.

"Ratchet," Clank finally said. His optics peered up at the Lombax. "What happened?"

Ratchet swallowed, his other hand covering one of his eyes as he used it to cradle his head. "Nightmare… a really bad one. One that felt… _real_."

Clank noticed the state of Ratchet's tail, and the robot slipped out from under the blankets again to draw the covers back over his partner.

He tucked the top of the blanket over Ratchet's waist, and felt the Lombax shift as his tail disappeared back under the warm blanket. As he fussed with the crinkles in the cloth, the little robot looked back up at his partner.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Ratchet almost said no, but he knew that talking it out would be the most logical way to combat the problem. He didn't know how to explain it to Clank, but…

He swallowed as Clank sat bowl-legged on the Lombax's lap. "I was running…"

Ratchet felt himself start to shake again, but the little metal hand that had held his before rushed back. His fingers felt the little gold band around Clank's pinky finger, and a deep, calming breath filled his lungs.

"Go ahead Ratchet." Clank grabbed his other hand, and their fingers interlocked as the Lombax settled down. "It is okay to let it out. I am right here, so there is nothing to fear."

His fingers moved the small metal hands close to his face, and his lips kissed the backs of Clank's hands as Ratchet pressed them close to his cheeks. "Th-the house… The house caught fire."

Before Clank could say anything, it came spilling out.

"There was stuff in the sand. It stopped me from getting to the house. And I knew you were in there and you were so far away and I-"

Clank squeezed his digits, gently nudging the Lombax back to reality. "Ratchet… take a moment to breathe…"

Tears were very close to forming again. The Lombax took another deep breath, slowly getting used to the repetitive action.

Once he felt somewhat stable again, he continued.

"I ran inside the house. There was a lot of fire… and the heat… i-it felt so real. So real it made me think you had…"

Clank squeezed, and Ratchet let out the air he had been holding.

"I… I thought you were in our bedroom. So I went there." His grip on Clank's fingers tightened, and his heartbeat echoed in his ears. "I opened the door, screaming your name an-an-and… you weren't there."

Ratchet pulled another breath of air through his nose, and slowly blew it out through his lips. His eyes fell shut as his memory filled in the rest of the dream.

"Something made me think you were in the closet. Instinct maybe…" Another breath of air. "I opened the door…"

His lips tried to form the next sentence, but he couldn't make a sound.

Ratchet opened his eyes to see Clank's comforting smile. The little robot's thumbs rubbed the backs of Ratchet's hands, and Clank blinked as he tilted his head.

"Shall we unpack this together Ratchet?"

Ratchet nodded mutely.

Clank's smile deepened. "Let's start with the fire. It _is_ possible that our house could catch on fire."

Panic painted Ratchet's face, but Clank held up their interlocked hands. "However," he countered, "I routinely make nightly checks to make sure all of our cooking appliances are shut off, the doors are all locked, and the lights are all off before I sleep with you." He giggled. "You know how strictly I follow my nightly routines."

Hearing Clank's laugh filled his chest with a different kind of warmth. A small smile of his own teased at the corners of Ratchet's mouth. "That's true…" he murmured.

The little robot leaned back against Ratchet's drawn-up legs. "Indeed. Now, let's disprove the next little bit."

"The sands and fire… yeah, I know. There's no such thing as 'sentient faces' in fire or sand." Even with his head against the headboard and a sheepish grin on his face, the thought of "faces in the fire and sand" thing was just… silly.

"'Sentient faces?'"

Ratchet looked back at Clank, the nervous grin still there. "Oh… I think I forgot to tell you that."

Clank waved one of their hands. "That is irrelevant, though I do believe the dream is starting to get less horrific due to your deciphering of the fear-inducing moments." He mimicked a calm sigh, the smile back. "Do you need to talk about the fire and sand more?"

"No."

"Then let us move on…"

Ratchet banged the back of his head against the headboard. "Oh… yeah, you definitely wouldn't stay in a house that was on fire. You'd hop out through a window, or rush to one of the exits you planned out in case of emergencies."

Clank pressed his mouth to Ratchet's hand. A little kiss tickled the back of Ratchet's hand. "That is it! The nightmare was nothing more than illogical fears from your subconscious. There is nothing to truly fear, my love."

Ratchet's smile froze, then melted away. He fell silent.

Clank's concern from earlier rushed back. "Ratchet… is there something you are not telling me?"

Silence flooded their bedroom, and not even the normal sounds of Veldin were heard. The Lombax's eyes looked everywhere but the robot's optics.

"Clank… are you… _unhappy_ with being married to me?"

He felt another squeeze against his fingers. "Ratchet," Clank exclaimed, "I very much enjoy being married to you. You are the greatest friend and partner I could ever have. What makes you think that I would be upset or uncomfortable with being married to you?"

A pause.

"You were in the closet. You had… You were… There was a belt."

The fear and anxiety from earlier hit him full force. "Your optics were black."

It only took an instant for Clank to connect the dots.

The little robot yanked his fingers out of Ratchet's and immediately cradled the Lombax's cheeks. His mouth pressed against Ratchet's lips, and tears fell down Ratchet's cheeks as he tightly hugged the person he loved the most.

They stayed that way for a minute, one supporting the other as the other tried not to fall apart.

When Clank pulled back, his hands slipped back to Ratchet's. The little robot squeezed the Lombax's hands until they hurt, but Ratchet couldn't bring himself to care.

"Ratchet, I would _**never**_ do that to you."

The Lombax's head bumped against Clank's forehead. His breath fogged up Clank's mouthpiece. "Clank…"

"I love you so much Ratchet." Clank moved up their hands as Ratchet leaned back. The silver and gold bands reflected the early morning moonlight. "Do you remember when we said our vows? That I would stay honest and loyal to you through the darkest times, and you the same? I meant that, and I would never do such a thing if I was ever unhappy with the way our marriage was going."

"I'm just… surprised," Ratchet said. "You could be with anyone in the universe, someone that's just as intelligent as you are, or someone that isn't as reckless… but you chose me."

Clank's expression softened. "I love you Ratchet. I could tell you all the reasons why, but the largest reason is not one with a logical explanation. I love you so much, and it was one of the greatest moments of my life when we said our vows."

Ratchet's heart pounded in his chest, and a smile graced his face. "I love you so much Clank. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"And nothing will. At least, unless they wanted a fight."

Their mouths pressed together again, and the two of them sat in silence, bathing in the reassurance that the other was there with them.

A little laugh pulled itself from Ratchet's mouth as he broke his kiss with Clank. The robot looked at him, confused, until Ratchet spoke up again.

"I guess it'd be a little hard for you to use a belt… you don't really breathe…" he said as his hand delicately rubbed at the base of his neck.

Clank smiled as their hands broke apart, and Ratchet felt the rest of his worries melt away. "Indeed my love. It would be a little hard for me to try and do that if I could not breathe oxygen."

With that, Ratchet settled back down. His legs drifted back to the bed, and he moved himself down as he laid back in his horizontal sleeping position.

Clank stayed on Ratchet. "Are you ready to go back to bed?" he asked.

Ratchet wanted to close his eyes that moment, to have Clank's smile be the last thing he saw for the night, but he kept his eyes open. "Yeah pal, I think I'm good. I feel better, and I can't thank you enough for helping me with my nightmare."

Clank unhooked his leg from around Ratchet's waist, and slipped back under the blankets on his side of their bed. His face gazed back at Ratchet's. "It was no problem of mine Ratchet. If you have any more nightmares, then I hope you wake me so we can go through it together. Now, let us get some sleep. I wish you pleasant dreams and a good night."

Before Clank could turn over, Ratchet turned and wrapped a hand around Clank's. The little robot looked at him.

"Clank, could we spoon for a little bit? I really want to hold you, just for a little while."

Clank smiled, and the blankets shifted as he turned over and pushed his back to Ratchet's stomach. "Of course my love."

As Ratchet wrapped his arms around Clank, he felt safe. His lips pressed against the back of his partner's head, and as the two of them drifted back to sleep, a smile painted his face.

Clank's wishes did indeed come true. He had one of the best nights of sleep he had ever had in his life.

* * *

 _Song Inspos: "Talking Body" and "Habits" by Tove Lo (both remixes)_

 _Whoa… fun fact, I'm writing the ending author's notes as I go (to make things a lot easier for me during the publishing period and to give you guys a little insight on the behind the scenes) and this was the first story I fully finished. This turned out a lot longer than I expected, but I really like how it turned out!_

 _I hope you fans of Clatchet enjoyed the story! :D This was planned to take a different direction halfway through, head in a happier direction, but apparently I went down the Angst path and now we have Clank comforting Ratchet from the darker parts of his nightmare._

 _I really like this couple, and I'm so glad I finally have something written about them. After a couple years of trying to find the best way to write about them… I found a way that I was comfortable with. :)_

 _That's it for this day! Thank you all so much for reading and supporting me, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!_

 _XD_


	4. RatchAria (RatchetxEllaria)

_(Ah man, I will admit, I've wanted to write a drabble for this couple for a while now…_

 _A special thanks to_ _ **Chinterra**_ _ **of Deviantart** , who wanted me to write a little story for their OC and their AU version of Ratchet! Thank you so much for letting me write your character, and thank you for participating in this event! :D _

_Thank you to all who volunteered their characters, and I hope you all enjoy! :D)_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Ellaria and the Blind!Ratchet AU belong to Chinterra of Deviantart. Annnd I took a turn with this one because I happen to know the "after marriage" part of this relationship. ;P**

To the Beat of My Heart

RatchAria (Blind!RatchetxEllaria)

His ears picked up his wife's retching, and worry poked at his sleeping conscious before the realization crept in.

Morning sickness… once again.

The Lombax quickly sat up and pushed the covers back. His hands instinctively reached for his cane, and once his hand closed around the rod, he pushed it out in front of him. "Honey?" he called out as he stumbled out of bed. "Are you alright? Do you want me to get some sickness medication?"

He made his way to the bathroom, his feet guiding him along the route he had taken numerous times before. Ratchet felt around for the width of the door, the sounds of his wife's vomiting grow louder.

"I'm coming sweetheart, hold on just a moment!"

His hand knocked the edge of the door, and he quickly pulled open the door. The Lombax quickly rushed in, and as he leaned his cane against the doorframe, he carefully stepped over to where his wife was.

Ratchet's hands delicately touched her shoulders, feeling for her long hair. When he felt more strands heading towards her chin, he hooked his fingers over her ears and scooped her hair in his hands.

"Th-thank- y-you…"

Another gurgle sounded, and Ratchet couldn't help but feel worried as Ellaria started up again. He pushed her hair to one hand and let his other hand fall to her back. Ratchet rubbed small circles as Ellaria hugged the toilet.

"It's okay, honey… You're going to be okay… I'm here to help…"

The little comforting words he provided helped, and once Ellaria was finished, she took a moment to steady her breathing. The bathroom stayed mostly silent, Ellaria's slow breathing the only echo.

As she lifted her head, Ratchet leaned over her and flushed the toilet. "Thank you honey," she mumbled as her hands tapped the floor. More weight shifted to her bent legs as she lifted her head up and breathed in as much air as she could handle.

Ratchet smiled softly as he ducked behind her and rubbed her back. "Do you need any stomach medications? Maybe some water?"

"I should be fine…" she said, a hand rubbing at one of her tired eyes. After a moment, her hand fell, and she looked up at her husband. "Though… I um, still need to use the bathroom…"

Ratchet quickly backed up, nodding as his feet backpedaled. "Oh, right! Sorry… I'll get some breakfast ready for you while you wash up."

Ellaria put a hand to her stomach and stood. Her expression softened, and she smiled at Ratchet. "Could I have some eggs and hot sauce? With some little cinnamon crackers on the side? And an orange… and an apple?"

Ratchet grabbed his cane and backed out of the little room. "Yeah! I can get that for you! Just…" he hesitated, his bottom lip squished between his top teeth. "If there's any trouble, any at all, call for me and I'll come help!"

He didn't see the worried expression on Ellaria's face.

"That won't be necessary sweetheart. I'll only be a few minutes, and I'll wash up as quickly as I can."

"Alright… but- If there's any energy bursts- or if you feel like you're falling- or-"

"Yes," she confirmed, raising up her hands. "If anything happens, call for you."

Ratchet nodded his head. The frown on his face lifted, and he eased the door shut as he stepped out of the little washroom.

As the door clicked shut, he let go of the handle and pushed his cane out in front of him, the long pole giving him some extra guidance as he made his way to the kitchen.

The threshold to the door of their room clicked as the cane knocked against the pearl-white wood. His bare feet touched tile, and the Lombax took longer strides as his muscle memory kicked in.

Same old path.

His hand extended, hanging in the space around Ratchet as he searched for the refrigerator.

 _Where was it…?_

A bar caught between his limp fingers.

 _There we go._

He wrapped his fingers around the handle and pulled the door open, the fur on his body rising as cold air rushed out of the fridge and tickled his skin. He lowered himself, his other hand leaning the cane against the fridge's side and hitting the first shelf.

"What did she want for breakfast again…?" he mumbled as his fingers touched the sides of plastic containers. "Cinnamon crackers. I know they aren't here; they'll be in the pantry… Oh! Eggs, orange, apple, and…" His head drifted to the arm resting on top of the fridge door. He scratched his head. "I think it was hot sauce. Yeah, that's it."

His hand moved to one of the drawers and pulled on the handle. It slid open, and the Lombax gently hooked his hand under the egg carton and lifted it out.

"Next, the orange."

He pushed the drawer back and stuffed the carton under his left arm. The fridge door leaned against his back as he felt around for the bottommost drawer's handle. As soon as it hit his fingertips, he grabbed it and yanked it open.

Plastic bags of fruits and vegetables knocked against each other as Ratchet's hand scrapped the bottom of the drawer. He was looking for something completely round, with a little nub at the top…

Something with four bumps brushed by his wrist, and he paused as his brain tried to figure out what he just touched.

Four bumps… round, but not completely spherical… a little stick?

"Ah," Ratchet exclaimed as he grabbed it and tucked it under his arm. "There's the apple. Now the orange."

His hand moved back in, and it took him a second to locate the other fruit.

"Perfect!" he said. He quickly stood, shut the door, and placed the food on a counter next to the fridge.

As soon as he was absolutely sure they weren't going to fall, he turned back to the fridge and opened the door again. Now was the hot sauce.

His hand reached for a small glass bottle, but instead he felt a larger container fill his palm.

"Um… odd. I thought she put it back on the top shelf?"

His hand stretched out for other containers, it's pace quickening with each wrong item. Cream cheese, stick of butter, jar of mayo… or was that a jar of jelly…?

A knot entered his chest, and Ratchet felt his breathing hitch as he felt shame heat his face. "Come on," he huffed, his teeth gritted as his hand knocked against more items. "Where is it?"

A square container that might have contained the spaghetti they had a few nights ago-

A smaller square container that… had something else in it-

Mustard bottle-

His hand finally grasped a tall, cylindrical bottle. The Lombax felt relief flood his chest as the bottle stayed firm under a gentle squeeze. He relaxed as he stood, a long sigh pushing the freezing air out of his face.

The fridge door clapped shut as Ratchet then turned his attention to the pantry. Just looking for the box of crack-

His fingers touched a large square box. They moved to the next one, a large square box. Then the next: a large-ish square box.

The shame from earlier grew full force, and a stutter spluttered out of Ratchet's mouth as he tried and failed to reassure himself.

He bit his lip, and nervous energy danced throughout his veins.

He hadn't really gotten a good feel for the cracker boxes.

There hadn't been that much time.

He couldn't remember the feel of everything.

"I… I'll get it later. Before Ellaria comes. Just… not now."

His hand retracted.

A little spark of rage and frustration lit up his chest.

 _No_.

Ratchet's hand smacked down on the first box as he grabbed it and carried it to the dining table. It smacked against the wood underneath the smooth cloth, and the Lombax heard crackers rattle in their sleeves.

He turned and headed for the counter where he left the eggs, and slowly but surely the Lombax began making scrambled eggs. Lovely smells filled the air as he used the spatula to figure out where the egg batter needed to be turned.

Tiny clicks sounded out on the tile and moved towards the table. Ratchet focused hard on what he was cooking, hoping that she didn't come back his way.

He felt her eyes on him.

He heard her footsteps.

He sensed her body pass his on her way back to the pantry.

His grip on the spatula tightened. "It wasn't the right one, was it?"

Ellaria was silent for a moment, the box of soup crackers making little sound as she hesitantly slid the crackers back into their place. "Well… no. But it's not a problem, I can grab the cinnamon cracker box and bring it to the table." As she lifted the box out, she turned to her husband. "Did you want any help with the eggs? I can wash the apple if you'd like?"

Ratchet stayed silent, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. A sour look painted his face. "I got it. You can sit down. Breakfast will be ready in a couple minutes."

"But-"

"I said I got it!"

Ellaria moved past him, and based on how the ground shook a little as she past, Ratchet could tell that he had ticked her off.

Both creatures were silent as Ratchet finished the eggs. He shut off the stove, scooped the fluffy eggs onto a plate, washed the apple off, and brought over the meal to the table.

The tiny walk to the table only made the searing knot in his chest harden.

As he set the plate down in front of Ellaria, his guilt began to overpower him.

"I'm sorry I-"

"Ratchet. Sit down."

The Lombax plopped down in the other chair, his head turned to the side so his ears could pick up more of Ellaria's voice.

She leaned back in her chair, the furniture creaking against her back. "I want you to tell me why you've been acting like this over the past few days." Her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "And no excuses either. When we were readying the baby room the other day, you stormed out of the room when you were in the middle of baby-proofing the wall plugs. And then yesterday you got mad at the paint for the room. Today, you're getting upset over crackers?"

He felt her lean towards him. "What's wrong Ratchet? You can tell me what's bothering you! Especially now that we're bringing a child into the universe! We need to be a team! Let me know what's wrong, and we'll fix it together!"

The Lombax stayed silent.

The minutes dragged on, but both parties stayed dead quiet. Veldin sunlight warmed the Lombax's body, and utensils scrapped as Ellaria began to eat some of her scrambled egg.

Ellaria's chewing slowed, and a clink sounded as she dropped the fork against the plate. The legs of the chair scrapped against the floor. "Alright, I don't have time for this. If you don't want to talk-"

"I'm _blind_."

"Well… yes," she said, confusion evident in her voice. Her body lowered back down into the chair. "That doesn't change a thing-"

The knot in his chest choked him, and the sour look from earlier returned. "Yes, it does."

Ratchet swallowed as he shook. "Ellaria, you're having a baby and I'm blind. I can't help you in the way anyone else could. I can't paint the walls because I have no idea what the color I'm painting it, where I need to stop, or if I missed a spot. I can't baby-proof the plugs because I spent a half hour running my hand horizontally along the wall looking for plug only to find that it was an inch higher than where I had been running my hand. I couldn't even grab the right box of cinnamon crackers for Orvus' sake!"

His eyes stung with pain and pressure, and sobs wracked his chest. "What if I need to grab something for the baby and I grab something that could kill them?! What if I don't hear them run around me and I seriously hurt them?!"

"Ratchet…"

Tears poured out of his eyes, and hiccups caught in his throat. "I won't be able to see my child walk down the aisle at their wedding, getting ready to marry the love of their life! I won't be able to see them stand on a graduation stage after long years spent studying in college following their dreams! I won't see medals, awards, pictures they draw… their first steps…"

His arms wrapped around him. "I won't see if they have your eyes… I won't see the colors on their body... I won't see them on the day they're born…"

Ratchet turned his head to where Ellaria sat, his tear-stained cheeks shining in the morning light.

"I'm not going to see our child grow up."

The whole house quieted, and even the creatures outside fell silent.

His hand dragged across his cheeks, and his nose sniffed as he tried not to grab a napkin to use as a tissue. The knot in his chest had vanished, and shame took its place.

"Ellaria…"

He felt her hand wrap around his, firmly squeezing his fingers. She dragged his hand to the middle of the table where they remained tightly interlocked.

"Ratchet," she began, sniffs of her own indicating her sorrow, "I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry, and if I could do anything to fix it, I would, but for right now, we're going to have to work with what we've got. It's going to be hard, and I will never be able to understand the pain you hold, but I want to tell you that we are a team. We will both be able to take care of this baby, and I don't care what you do, I will stick by your side through anything."

He shrank in his seat. "I'm so scared. I want to help you. I don't want to just be a deadweight! I want to help you Ellaria!"

"You will _never_ be deadweight to me Ratchet," she said without hesitation. She paused, her other hand coming up to support the Lombax's. "I can't tell you how much I wish you could see, but Orvus gave us what we have, and we will adapt with what we have."

Ellaria hooked her hand under his left cheek, and he felt her thumb wipe away the tear-tracks. "We're going to get through this sweetheart. We're going to raise this child to be one of the most successful, creative, sensitive creatures to walk the universe, and blindness or not, you and I are going to help this child grow up."

She held his hand until his breathing returned to normal, and both of them helped to steady the other's hand from trembling.

As soon as the two of them calmed, Ellaria guided Ratchet's hand to the table. "I think it's time I finish my breakfast before I head to work on the baby's room."

Ratchet nodded quickly, returning back to reality. "Yeah, you eat your breakfast. You'll need the energy…"

"I want you to promise me something."

The Lombax looked up, his head to the side. "Oh?"

"I want you to promise me that if you ever feel insecure or miserable because of your blindness, you come to me and talk to me about it." Ellaria bit off the smallest piece of a cinnamon cracker. "Like I said, I won't be able to understand what you're going through, but that doesn't mean I don't want to listen to you."

The Lombax slowly turned his head in his wife's direction, and he took a deep, steadying breath as he readied his answer.

"I promise."

The tension between them lifted as relief rose in his chest.

"Thank you," Ellaria said softly. "I promise to listen to every word, and I will never shun or mock you for any way you feel. I'm your partner, and we're not going to be alone for much longer. I'll need a partner by my side for that, and I wouldn't give you up for anyone else."

He smiled, and tears threatened to run down his cheeks again. "I love you so much Ellaria."

The Earthian smiled back. "I love you too Ratchet…"

He stood, walking over to get his cane before returning to the table. "I think I'm going to start some work in the baby's room… and if there isn't anything I can do… I'd still like to sit in the room with you."

"Of course, Ratchet. I want your company." Ellaria stood, her plate in her hand and a soft smile on her face. "Come on sweetheart, let's get back to work…"

* * *

 _Song Inspos: "Thunder" by Leona Lewis and "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara._

 _Fourth story to be finished!_

 _Oh man, this took me an embarrassingly long time to finish. I've never written a character with a disability before, so this was quite the experiment for me. I really hope you all enjoyed the… angst? I wanted to show how strong a couple could be around one of the most stressful moments of their lives (having or adopting a child), so suddenly the fluff just curveballed to angst._

 _Either way, I hope you liked the story, and of course, thank you_ _ **Chinterra**_ _for allowing me to write your character and AU concept. I had fun, and I hope you had a great Valentine's Day! ^^_

 _See you all in the next story!_

 _XD_


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